Top Asian News 3:50 a.m. GMT

Typhoon hits Shanghai with 94-mph winds after 400,000 people were evacuated

BEIJING (AP) — The strongest typhoon to hit Shanghai since at least 1949 made landfall early Monday with powerful winds and heavy rains after more than 400,000 people were evacuated. Flights, ferries and train services were suspended in the megacity and in neighboring provinces, disrupting travel during China’s three-day Mid-Autumn Festival. Shanghai’s airports canceled hundreds of flights starting Sunday and through Monday, while in Hangzhou, about 170 kilometers (106 miles) southwest of Shanghai, authorities were also planning to cancel more than 180 flights. More than 60,000 emergency responders and firefighters were at hand to lend aid in Shanghai, according to state media.

A shy penguin wins New Zealand’s bird election after campaign filled with memes and tattoos

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — It’s noisy, smelly, shy — and New Zealand’s bird of the year. The hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, won the country’s fiercely fought avian election on Monday, offering hope to supporters of the endangered bird that recognition from its victory might prompt a revival of the species. It followed a campaign for the annual Bird of the Year vote that was absent the foreign interference scandals and cheating controversies of past polls. Instead, campaigners in the long-running contest sought votes in the usual ways — launching meme wars, seeking celebrity endorsements and even getting tattoos to prove their loyalty.

A US delegation talks with Bangladesh’s interim leader about the economy

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A high-level U.S. delegation met Sunday with the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, to affirm “dedication to fostering inclusive economic growth,” according to the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka. Yunus took over after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country last month amid a mass uprising. She was accused of corruption, violation of human rights and excessive use of force against the protesters. During her 15-year rule, Hasina enjoyed close relations with India, China and Russia who have heavily invested in the country’s infrastructure development, trade and investment. The U.S. has also become the single largest foreign investor in Bangladesh under Hasina.

New Delhi’s chief minister announces resignation two days after he was released on bail

NEW DELHI (AP) — One of India’s main opposition figures and New Delhi’s chief minister said he would resign from office Sunday, two days after he was granted bail in a bribery case. Arvind Kejriwal, a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was arrested nearly six months ago ahead of national elections on charges of receiving bribes from a liquor distributor. India’s top court released him on bail Friday. Kejriwal has consistently denied the accusations and called them a political conspiracy. “Today I have come to ask the public whether you consider Kejriwal honest or a criminal,” he said in a public address Sunday at the headquarters of his Aam Aadmi Party, which governs New Delhi.

Traces of this Pakistani megacity’s past are vanishing, but one flamboyant pink palace endures

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Stained glass windows, a sweeping staircase and embellished interiors make Mohatta Palace a gem in Karachi, a Pakistani megacity of 20 million people. Peacocks roam the lawn and the sounds of construction and traffic melt away as visitors enter the grounds. The pink stone balustrades, domes and parapets look like they’ve been plucked from the northern Indian state of Rajasthan, a relic of a time when Muslims and Hindus lived side by side in the port city. But magnificence is no guarantee of survival in a city where land is scarce and development is rampant. Demolition, encroachment, neglect, piecemeal conservation laws and vandalism are eroding signs of Karachi’s past.

US-China military leaders hold routine talks to discuss South China Sea tensions and other issues

BANGKOK (AP) — Military leaders from the U.S. and China met in Beijing for routine talks that only resumed in January after being suspended for two years as ties between the two countries soured. The meetings ended on Sunday and officials discussed ongoing issues such as Taiwan, the Russia-Ukraine war and clashes in the South China Sea. Michael Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia led a delegation to engage in the bilateral Defense Policy Coordination Talks, which were last held in January.. While the talks weren’t expected to resolve long-standing differences in stances over issues ranging from South China Sea claims to Taiwan, the U.S.

87 and hobbled, Pope Francis goes off-script in Asia and reminds world he can still draw a crowd

DILI, East Timor (AP) — It was the farthest trip of his pontificate and one of the longest papal trips ever in terms of days on the road and distance traveled. But Pope Francis, age 87, hobbled by bad knees and bent over with sciatica, appeared to be having the time of his life. With half of East Timor’s population gathered at a seaside park, Francis couldn’t help but oblige them with a final good night and languid loops in his popemobile, long after the sun had set and the field was lit by cellphone screens. It was late, the heat and humidity had turned Tasitolu park into something of a sauna, and most of the journalists had already gone back to their air-conditioned hotel to watch the Mass on TV.

‘Shogun’ and ‘Hacks’ win top series Emmy Awards

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Hacks” won the comedy series at Sunday’s Emmy Awards, topping “The Bear,” which took home several of the night’s honors. “Shogun” won the best drama series win, collecting a whopping 18 Emmys for its first season, just one of several historic wins. Hiroyuki Sanada won best actor in a drama for “Shogun” on Sunday night at the Emmy Awards, and Anna Sawai won best actress as they became the first two Japanese actors to win Emmys. Their wins gave the FX series momentum going into one of the night’s top awards, where “Shogun” won best drama series.

Death toll in Myanmar from Typhoon Yagi reaches 74. Dozens of other people are missing

BANGKOK (AP) — The death toll in Myanmar from flooding and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi has reached at least 74, with 89 people missing, Myanmar’s state television said Saturday. Difficulties in compiling information have raised fears that the number of casualties may be higher. The new official death toll announced by the country’s military government was more than double the 33 reported on Friday. Typhoon Yagi earlier hit Vietnam, northern Thailand and Laos, killing more than 260 people and causing major damage. The new totals were announced after state media reported that Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the ruling military council, said that Myanmar was requesting relief aid from foreign countries.

Pope makes new overture to China, calling Beijing ‘a promise and hope’ for the church

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis declared Friday that China was “a promise and a hope” for the Catholic Church, offering extensive praise for Beijing at the end of a four-nation tour through Asia and again expressed hope to one day visit. Francis’ comments, during an in-flight press conference en route home from Singapore, came as the Vatican enters into the final weeks of negotiations to renew a 2018 agreement over the contentious issue of bishop nominations. Francis declared himself “happy” with the process, saying both sides were engaging in negotiations in a spirit of good will. “I’m happy with the dialogue with China,” he said.